Big picture: PBKS batters slipping slightly We've all heard about "peaking at the right time". What Punjab Kings (PBKS) have inadvertently shown in the last 20 days is slipping at the wrong time. Table-toppers for a good chunk of IPL 2026, PBKS have now slipped to fourth spot with five losses on the bounce. Their problems have compounded since the record chase against Delhi Capitals (DC): their batters aren't scoring as quickly, their bowlers are leaking at the wrong time, their fielding has been forgettable and luck has also left their side, with the coin falling in their favour only once in the last five outings. PBKS were leaking runs in the first half of the tournament too, but their batting always made up for it. In the last five games, though, their scoring rate, batting average, control percentage and attacking-shot percentage have all dropped off. The first-ten-balls strike rate of their top seven in their six wins was a whopping 236.20, but in the last five matches, it has reduced to 191. This is still a good number. Other teams will be happy with their new batters scoring 19 off ten. The real problem is what's happening to PBKS when their batters are set. Their top seven struck at 251.80 during balls 21 to 30 in their six wins. That figure has fallen off a cliff to 132.60 in the five losses. If we compare the strike rates of individual batters during the six wins with their five losses, Prabhsimran Singh's has fallen from 192.60 to 139.40, Shreyas Iyer's has dipped from 186 to 128.60, Priyansh Arya's has gone from 249 to 166.70 and Shashank Singh's has slipped from 194.40 to 85.70. This re-match of the IPL 2025 final cannot have come at a worse time for PBKS. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), sitting pretty at No. 1, will confirm their place in the playoffs with a win. They arrive in Dharamsala on the back of back-to-back wins and will know that the ground tends to favour the chasing team. Form guide Punjab Kings LLLLL (last five completed games, most recent first) Royal Challengers Bengaluru WWLLW Royal Challengers Bengaluru WWLLW Key question Team news: RCB still without Salt Whether it was forced or tactical, PBKS brought in Azmatullah Omarzai (38 off 17 and 2 for 36) for Marcus Stoinis in their last game, and it worked out quite nicely. Shreyas Iyer has had trouble finding reliable seamers to back up his new-ball bowlers. Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 3 Cooper Connolly, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Shashank Singh, 6 Suryansh Shedge, 7 Marcus Stoinis/Azmatullah Omarzai, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Xavier Bartlett/Ben Dwarshuis, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Vyshak Vijaykumar, 12 Yuzvendra Chahal RCB opener Phil Salt is still not back in India since flying home earlier this month to get his finger checked. That means his compatriot Jacob Bethell will continue to open with Virat Kohli. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Jacob Bethell, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Tim David, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Venkatesh Iyer/Romario Shepherd, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Jacob Duffy/Suyash Sharma, 11 Josh Hazlewood, 12 Rasikh Salam In the spotlight: Shreyas Iyer and Jitesh Sharma Barring his unbeaten 59 against DC earlier this week, Shreyas Iyer's form had dipped in the second half of the IPL. His other scores this month read 4, 5, 19, and 30. Sunday will pit him against two bowlers who have had the better of him previously in the IPL. Against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Iyer has a strike rate of 90 while getting out three times in 11 innings. Against Hazlewood, he has four dismissals in six innings and 11 runs off 22 balls. With the ground slipping from underneath PBKS game after game, they will hope their leader helps them find their feet. Jitesh Sharma is having his worst IPL season since his debut in 2022, whether it's in terms of runs, average or strike rate. For a batter who made his name and India T20I debut as a finisher, he has managed just 90 runs off 76 balls so far. He has got out to pace eight times in ten innings so far. Lack of the finishing touch from him is perhaps the only weakness RCB have had this season, but he has a couple of games to turn things around before the playoffs. Pitch and conditions: Chase to win Dharamsala will be hosting its first day game of IPL 2026. And given all ten day games prior to this one have been won by the chasing side, there is a chance the toss will have a role to play in the result. Sunday is expected to be pleasant with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius. The same pitch as the match against DC will be used for this game. Stats and trivia - Iyer will be captaining his 100th match in the IPL, with 41 of those coming for DC, and 29 each for KKR and PBKS. He has the joint-best win percentage as a captain in the IPL (min. 60 matches), level with MS Dhoni at 58.3%. - PBKS have won just one of their last seven games in Dharamsala. - PBKS have scored as well as conceded eight 200-plus totals in this IPL, both joint-most in one IPL edition. - Virat Kohli has the most runs - 1159 - by any batter against PBKS. - RCB have the best scoring rate of 10.40 in the middle overs (7 to 16) this IPL, closely followed by PBKS' 10.10. Rajat Patidar has the most sixes in that phase, 28, with Iyer's 21 being the second most. Quotes "Bethell has proved himself on the world stage, and in this format, he is a world-class player. It doesn't matter which position he bats in. He is a mature player who adapts himself according to the situation and we have seen him perform." RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi is backing Bethell in Salt's absence RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi is backing Bethell in Salt's absence Vishal Dikshit is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo Get latest cricket updates on WhatsApp